I, MGTOW

The following is a post from a MGTOW author i’ve asked to contribute here named Kolinahr regarding definitions of mgtow:

If you are reading this essay there is a fair chance you identify with … The Label. Yes, that label – “MGTOW” – Men Going Their Own Way.

What makes one man “MGTOW” and another not? Could there be a more contentious question in all the Sphere?

There seems to be no answer to be agreed upon – and there are even those that very much like it that way. However there are also those that believe some self-analysis of the community by the community is necessary. We need to know more clearly who and what we are, so that others may know.

Is it not obvious that outside of the evolving popular appeal, and a few critical content producers, there really is nothing firm holding the meaning or direction of MGTOW together, or anchoring its essence or form. Subject to media, money, politics, or even the whims of a search engine, it could become anything.

“Let the community be the definition and meaning !!!” the voices cry. “Each man finding his own way, that is MGTOW! That defines MGTOW. Because in this manner – in this end – it is “The I” who defines MGTOW, and no one else.”

A hundred definitions, a hundred meanings – then a thousand, then ten-thousand.

At the time of this writing there is serious debate in the Sphere on the topic of “caring”. That is beyond the scope of this article, save, it is assumed here that most MGTOW seek the dissemination of our knowledge to other men, and thus it is also assumed that this – in part – is who and what we are.

So, what are our lost and wandering blue-pill brethren to do, when hearing of this strange label and that intriguing phrase from which it is derived, and which motivates them to know more? What are they to do? The first thing they will seek to know and the last answer they will find is, “What is MGTOW? Who are these men?” It will seem that every MGTOW or even non-MGTOW source they ask has a different answer – some of them contradictory.

Amid the noise, he will be forced to seek a source of clarity, meaning, and internal consistency, not the nattering crowd. In a harsh sense – some sense of authority. In a softer sense – voices in clear harmonious agreement and eloquent expression that In other words – make sense.

As a community, we MGTOW – who care – either supply an accessible authoritative source, presenting clear agreement on who we are – or others will.

ARE WE WHAT WE DO OR ARE WE WHAT WE KNOW AND THUS DO

Many describe MGTOW as a phenomenon. In the spirit of scientific inquiry, should the community not seek to analyze itself? Analyze this phenomenon.

The phenomenon was taking place before the term “MGTOW” gained currency so most men who had already abandoned pursuit of woman, before encountering the term, saw in it nothing more than a rather pleasing label for men such as themselves – as a collective.

However, other men came together and in their coming together saw the implications of the commonalities of their individual experiences, whether they had yet departed from woman or not. An astonishing philosophy or knowledge base came into being, which exposed an aspect of the world, all along, present right before their eyes, but that they could not before see.

Exposure to this knowledge had profound implications. Now intimate aspects of the enlightened man’s life must now be weighed and painful changes made – yet once done – new options in life presented themselves. New Ways. The full extent of the knowledge contained in the Red-Pill including the ramifications is extensive. It is unlikely that an isolated individual – though having been sufficiently motivated by experience to make his departure from woman – would discover its full extent on his own, and having taken the most difficult actions already, would he even care?

So, exposure to “The Red-Pill” causes more of “The Phenomenon”, but isolated individual experience can also cause “The Phenomenon”. Now who are MGTOW? Are they “Doers” that know not the full truth, or the “Knowers” that because they know, do? If other men are to be helped by the Red-Pill, then the Knowledge must be the defining characteristic of label “Men Going Their Own Way.” The doing alone is insufficient – though it implies some knowledge.

KNOW THY SELF FIRST, THEN THINE ENEMY

Apologies to Sun Tzu.

Some analysis and some conclusions about self and selves are in order. Some decisions made (from the Latin “to cut off from”) or at least productive discussion about who we are and who we are not, about who are we, and who are not, is in order. Atomized to an individual, a group label is silly. Seduced into maintaining the option to be everything or anything, we are nothing.

Finding itself included in the many, the “I” asks itself, “Who are we? What are we becoming?

The “I” asks this, because these questions must be part of how I see myself? I have, after all, taken the name, taken the identity. Who am I? … I, MGTOW.

I agree. To me MGTOW consists of two parts.. the awareness and understanding of “The Red Pill”, which is essentially basic male and female human nature.. and then an attempt to retain one’s own freedom in the face of it (while still satisfying one’s own needs).

And based on that, MGTOW also exists in both an individual and a collective sense. On a collective level, it is an ever-growing pool of knowledge pertaining to the Red-Pill and possible viable solutions for men. On an individualistic level, it is one’s own personal experiences and life choices in obtaining happiness while retaining freedom.